Low dose estrogen plus calcium has been shown to prevent spinal bone loss in early postmenopausal women and calcium plus Vitamin D have been shown to prevent hip and other non-spinal fractures in women living in long-term care communities. This was a pilot study to evaluate the use of calcium and low dose estrogen in healthy community-dwelling older women. The overall aim of this project was to study the interactive effects of calcium and estrogen on biochemical markers of bone turnover in older women over a 6 month period. The long-term goal is to find an effective, well-tolerated regimen for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in women more than 20 years post menopause.